Why writing was on the wall for sacked TPA boss

Dar es Salaam. Signs that Mr Eric Hamissi’s days as Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) director general were numbered started to emerge last December when President Samia Suluhu Hassan uncovered the rot in the awarding of tenders for the construction of five ships.

Speaking during the inauguration of berths at Dar es Salaam Port, President Hassan also revealed irregularities in the contracts TPA signed with three different firms for the installation of payment systems.

It was this scandal which prompted the President to dissolve the TPA and Maritime Services Company Limited (MSCL) boards of directors.

On that particular day, the President Hassan directed Works and Transport minister Makame Mbarawa and the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) to act against those all those involved.

She said YücelTekin Ship Building Company (YÜTEK) of Turkey won the bid and signed a contract worth Sh438.8 billion with the MSCL on June 15, 2021.

The Head of State noted, however, that following signs of failure by the firm to carry out the project as agreed, she appointed a special probe team that revealed that the company had no shipyard, qualified staff or financial capacity to execute the project.

Though the President did not reveal any connection between Mr Hamissi and the fraudulent tender, the fact that it was issued at a time when he was the chief executive officer for MSCL meant that he was aware of the tender.

Directing PCCB director general Salum Hamduni to ensure that action is taken against those implicated by the Controller and Auditor General (CAG), President Hassan revealed that she was aware that a syndicate of some TPA officials in the finance department had tempered with the payment system for their own benefit.

So when the President said categorically that she was dissatisfied with TPA’s operations and supervision during an event where the President also witnessed the signing of the construction project of the fourth lot of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) in Dar es Salaam yesterday, she was only hitting the last nail in the coffin.

“…those entrusted with ports supervision should now work swiftly. I’m not satisfied with the current speed at the ports and the politicking,” she said adding: “Therefore, as I said, the port of Dar es Salaam is our eye. If it performs better, half of the annual budget can come from the port, but this will only be achieved if we take measures to reorganise ourselves and work hard”.

The President’s verbal statement was shortly followed by a written one, signed by the director of presidential communications, Ms Zuhura Yunus, to the effect that the Head of State has revoked Mr Hamissi’s appointment as TPA head.

According to the statement, Mr Hamissi would replaced by Mr Plasduce Mkeli Mbossa, who, prior to the appointment, served as TPA deputy director general.

A difficult job

Mr Hamissi had been at the helm of TPA for only 15 months. He was appointed to the position in March 2021 after President Hassan suspended the then director general, Mr Deusdedit Kakoko.

The suspension came after TPA was adversely mentioned in the CAG’s 2019/20 report.

At one point, President Hassan said, Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa had formed a committee to probe what had been happening at the port and some action was taken.

“But from the report that you submitted to me yesterday, at least Sh3.6 billion had been embezzled at TPA…..When the Prime Minister conducted a probe, we only managed to fire junior staff. I now order the suspension of TPA Director General to pave way for investigations into the embezzlement,” President Hassan said when receiving the report at Chamwino State House in Dodoma in March 2021.

In December 2015, the government kicked out almost the entire top brass at TPA in a move that saw the then director general, Mr Awadh Massawe, and the board chairman, Prof Joseph Msambichaka, being shown the exit door.

Improvement

Speaking during the signing of the construction project of the fourth lot of the standard gauge railway (SGR), Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Amos Makalla commended President Hassan for releasing Sh210 billion for improvement of Dar es Salaam Port that has transformed the marine gateway to the extent of being considered as a mine.

“As a result cargo in transit to the Democratic Republic of Congo passing through Dar es Salaam Port has increased from 1.9 million tonnes to 2.6 million tonnes. Burundi is now dependent on the Port by 99 percent while Uganda’s cargo passing there has increased from 140,000 tonnes to 300,000 tonnes,” he said.

According to him, the government has allocated Sh290 billion in the 2022/23 Budget to continue improving Dar es Salaam Port that in

Tanzania Railway Corporation (TRC) managing director, Masanja Kadogosa said yesterday’s signing of the $900.1 million (Sh2.094 trillion) project contract between TRC and the Turkish contractor, Yapi Merkez, brought the total lots to have been signed so far to five.

The Works, Transport and Communications minister, Prof Makame Mbarawa, said during the 2022/23 financial year, the government would spend a total of Sh3.4 trillion on various projects under her docket.

Review procurement laws

In her remarks, President Hassan directed the Attorney General to review the Public Private Partnership (PPP) Act Cap 410 and the Public Procurement Act Cap 211 in an effort to expedite the execution of some strategic projects.

“These laws should be worked on because there is a time you are supposed to make speedy decisions whereby you are to go for a single source where you a single bidder who is good. Unfortunately, as soon as you start awarding the tender, claims of corruption start resurfacing….,” she said.

She said instead of taking Tanzania forward, the laws were taking the country backwards. “In today’s world, whenever a person arrives, you agree, he is capable and you have trust, you sign and move forward,” she said.

Additional reporting by Naomi Achieng